All For Believing
by lanigem03
Summary: When Hayley dies during childbirth, Klaus is left alone with his daughter. Terrified and desperate to protect her, he turns to the one light in his life for help. A Caroline and Klaus-centric story.
1. Prologue

**All For Believing **

By Lanie

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries, Klaus, or Caroline.

A/N: Rated M for _future_ sexual content.

* * *

**Prologue**

_A woman's shrill cries could be heard echoing throughout the forest. The body of the young werewolf twitched and convulsed as she screamed for the father of the baby inside of her. The whites of her eyes were red and her normally olive skin was a sickly shade of white, her dark hair soaked with sweat. A smaller brunette crouched over her body, her own brow slicked with sweat, whispering desperate incantations to keep the screams from being heard outside of the small clearing. Tears were clouding her vision. _

_"Find him," the voice of the pregnant brunette was weak and there was blood between her legs. "Save my baby." _

_The young witch had called for the Original vampire hours ago using every kind of contact spell she could remember, but he hadn't come. She pushed back strings of sweat-drenched hair from the pale face of the woman lying before her._

_"He's coming," she lied as the girl convulsed beneath her. She knew that she didn't have enough power to save her on her own, but she couldn't trust anyone to help her now. She didn't know what to do. "Hold on. Please hold on."_

_A twig snapped and a man appeared at her side in a second, his eyes wide with horror as he took in the scene. _

_"What happened?" He demanded, his voice quivering. _

_"She's dying Klaus," the young witch whispered. There was blood dripping from her hands and tears spilling down her cheeks. "I don't know what's happening. I don't know what to do."_

_"Where are the rest of them?" He demanded, his voice rising. "Where are the rest of your witches, Sophia?"_

_"I was afraid they would kill her... to save the baby," the witch's hands were shaking as she spoke half-truths at the man before her. "I'm not a murderer, I never wanted to hurt her..." _

_"Save her!" The man's eyes were wild with fear. She had never seen him like this. She looked down into the green eyes of the woman and trembled. The man roared, "We had a deal!"_

_"I - can't..." _

_"Klaus-" the broken woman on the forest floor choked back a scream of pain, her eyes rolling back in her head as her body convulsed. Klaus stared down at her with big eyes, taking in the swell of her pregnant stomach and the pool of blood surrounding her body. He shook his head in disbelief. _

_"Save her life or so help me I will rip your throat out." He spat, tears welling in his eyes. _

_"Save her-" the woman whispered, so quietly the witch could barely hear it with her own ears. "Save our baby." _

_The man sat there for a moment, trembling as he stared down at the broken woman before him. _

_Then he reached forward and snapped her neck. The witch gasped in horror. _

_"Give me your knife." _

_The man's eyes flared into those of a monster, his teeth as sharp as knives themselves. She scrambled backward on her hands until her back hit the roots of the oversized oak tree behind her. There was so much blood. _

_"You -," she whispered, blinking back tears of revulsion. _

_"We have less than two minutes to get the unborn child out of her dead body before it begins to lose oxygen completely." His voice was suddenly cold and emotionless. "I am not going to say it again, give me your knife." _

_The witch held her blade out to him, her hand shaking as he grabbed it and stabbed through the torso of the motionless corpse. _

_Seconds later, the baby was freed from its mother, its strong cries filling the silence with life. The man stared down at the messy bundle in his arms and stopped entirely, staring at it in wonder. It was a girl, an impossibly tiny baby girl. The witch watched him, her mind racing. She knew what she should do if she wanted to keep her life. She should call what was left of the others and have them bring Marcel to strip the miracle baby from her father's arms._

_But she couldn't. _

_"It's cold outside," she said finally, breaking the new father from his trance. "Wrap her in your jacket." _

_Surprisingly, the man did what she said with no questions asked. He held the leather bundle close to his body, shielding her from the wild. She could feel her silencing spells falling fast and the baby's screams were loud and strong, the triumphant cry of life._

_"Go." _

_Klaus stared at the young witch, his face smeared with the blood of his baby's mother. _

_And then he was gone. _


	2. Chapter 1

**All For Believing**

By Lanie

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries, Klaus, or Caroline.

A/N: Rated M for _future_ sexual content.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Caroline left Elena and Jeremy's new apartment downtown and walked briskly toward her car. She had spent the night watching romantic comedies and drinking wine with Elena, but the purposeful feel-good night had ended up leaving a bad taste in both of their mouths. Sure, they had laughed superficially at their favorite films until the wine settled in and they ended up curled up at opposite ends of the couch, the extra space weighing down on them like a ton of bricks. It had been eight months since they had lost their best friend Bonnie Bennett, and yet the pain was as raw as ever. It hurt Caroline immeasurably that her and Elena couldn't seem to help each other through it, but she couldn't deny that their time together these days felt forced and sad.

They had both decided to put off university in September because it hadn't felt right without Bonnie, but now Caroline regretted the choice. Every step she took in this town reminded her of loss and she had never felt so alone in her life. Matt had skipped town with Rebekah several months ago, Bonnie was gone, Stefan had messed off to God-knows-where to nurse his broken heart, and her time with Elena was hardly more than a constant reflection of the loss they had endured. Even her mother, busy with the daunting task of getting Mystic Falls back in order, rarely had time for her these days.

She had called Tyler a day after graduation and the closing of the veil, explaining Klaus' gift and begging him to return for Bonnie's funeral. She had thought she needed him then. It had taken him three weeks to return her call, and by then the funeral was over. They spoke for a while, his voice kind and familiar. He had let her cry, told her everything would be okay, and then explained to her that he had business with a dangerous werewolf pack in northern Canada he would come back as soon as he could. It had been over 2 months before she had received another word from him, and it had just been a quick few lines scrawled on the inside of an envelope - short, simple, and admittedly sort of cold.

_Caroline, _

_Sorry I haven't been in contact lately. Hope everything is okay back in MF. Things are great here but I won't be able to visit for a while. Everything will work out, I promise. _

_Be in contact soon,_

_Tyler xx_

_Visit. _That was the only word she needed to see to know he wasn't coming home to her for good. And yet the longer she waited to hear from him, the less she cared about whether he came back at all. The words Klaus has spoken to her at graduation echoed in the back of her mind.

_He was your first love._

There was no denying that she had loved Tyler, but now her time with him seemed almost like a lifetime ago. They had shared a passionate young love, but that was it - a young love. Caroline no longer felt like the giddy high school cheerleader she had been just a couple of months ago. She felt older, and somehow hardened, like losing Bonnie had forced her to grow up in the blink of an eye.

She could hardly allow herself to admit it, but her feelings for Tyler had begun to fade long before graduation and the loss of her best friend. The generous gift she had received from Klaus at the ceremony had warmed her heart immensely, but not in the way it was meant to. Instead, she found her heart racing as the hybrid kissed her cheek and turned to leave. The gesture in itself was a sign that he was capable of so much more than she ever could have imagined. Not only was it thoughtful, it was also completely and utterly selfless. Over the last number of months, the ache of desire in her heart that should have belonged to Tyler had been given instead to Klaus. It terrified her. At night she dreamed of him continually; his voice as smooth as silk, his eyes burning into her own, making her feel vulnerable and scared and alive all at once. When the sun rose she spent most of her time trying to forget about him and the fact that she hadn't heard from him in months. Half of her was furious at him for getting up and leaving just like that. The other half knew in part that it was she who had pushed him away.

She had tried going out with a couple of guys from down at the Grill on Elena's suggestion after she realized things with Tyler were really over, but she quickly realized that flirting with Grill guys just didn't hold her interest anymore. Elena had laughed at her, her hand clasped around Damon's, jesting that she needed to tone down the ego. Even Caroline had to admit that her reasoning sounded awful out loud, but she couldn't help how she felt.

Caroline reached her car and unlocked it, climbing inside and rubbing her hands together in the cool night air. She flipped the gears into reverse and turned in her seat, taking a quick glance out her rear window.

She screamed when she saw him standing there. Vampire abilities and all, he was one of the only people who could still creep up on her and scare the living crap out of her. Her breath caught in her throat as she remained turned in her seat. After a moment, she opened her car door and was in front of him in a flash.

"Caroline," he drawled, a smile spreading across his lips. Her heart hammered in her chest.

"Klaus," she breathed. For a second, she didn't know what to say until the anger she had kept suppressed inside of her came boiling up inside of her. Then she did. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?!"

"Well that certainly wasn't the welcome I was hoping for," his brow creased but his smirk stayed firmly in place. "And yet somehow not surprising. Does this mean you're not happy to see me?"

"You can't just disappear for months and then come back like..." Caroline drifted off as she noticed a tiny bundle of leather held gently, almost awkwardly in Klaus' arms. Her eyes grew wide with confusion. She had never seen Klaus hold anything that carefully as for long as she'd known him.

"What... is that?"

The smirk faded from his lips, his gaze locking onto her own in the way they did when he was being serious with her. He took a step forward as Caroline's brow furrowed with disbelief. The bundle made a noise then, a small gurgle that sounded almost like a hiccup. She stood there in shock. It was a baby - Klaus was holding a baby.

"What the _hell_-"

"Caroline," he said slowly. There was a strange expression on his face that Caroline had never seen before. It looked almost like fear. "I'd like to introduce you to my daughter."

"Your... _what_?"

He took a careful step toward her and she mirrored him, taking a step backward. He stopped, looking down at the bundle in his arms. Caroline couldn't breathe.

"I'm truly sorry for not keeping in touch," he looked back up at her. "As you can see, there has been a lot going on in my life since I left Mystic Falls."

"But - _how_?" she stuttered, blinking at him. "Vampires can't..."

"I am not just a vampire, Caroline," he reminded her. "I'm also a werewolf. The original hybrid. And evidently... I can."

She shook her head in disbelief.

" I don't believe it. _You_ can't be a _father_-"

"But I am."

Caroline stood still for a few moments. The baby made another sound and Klaus looked down, holding her close to his chest, eyes gleaming. She didn't know what to do. Klaus was the last person she could ever imagine being a father. He was so selfish and full of pride - and yet, seeing him standing there looking down at the little creature, she thought maybe there was still a part of him that she didn't quite understand.

Finally, curiosity got the better of her.

"Can I see her?"

A different kind of smile spread across Klaus' face, one that she had seen many times before when they were alone together, and yet somehow this time it was different. He stood still as she walked toward him at her own pace until she hovered over the tiny creature in his arms.

Caroline gasped quietly, looking down at the baby. She had smooth olive skin, her already thick hair a mass of dark curls. She was so very tiny and delicate looking that Caroline was afraid to touch her. She looked back up into Klaus' eyes.

"She's beautiful..." she stopped abruptly, her breath catching in her throat. "Where's her mother?"

He swallowed and the silence crushed down on her chest. It was the only thing and the last thing she wanted to know at the same time.

"Her mother was Hayley Maxwell," he stated finally.

Caroline froze, her heart sinking as she put two and two together.

"Hayley," she repeated. "I didn't even know you two had..." she stopped, unable to finish the sentence until she realized the meaning behind his words. "What do you mean, _was_?"

"Hayley is dead," he said. His words were cold and matter-of-fact, but his bottom lip trembling the way it did when he was upset.

"Oh my god," she whispered. The jealousy that had begun to develop in her chest dissipated instantly.

"She - my daughter is in danger," he said suddenly, anger seething in his voice. "There are people that want to take her because of what she is. I have to get her away, Caroline. I have to hide her."

Caroline looked down at the bundle, delicate and helpless in his arms.

"Why did you come here?" Caroline turned quickly to the sound of a car door closing somewhere down the road. "This is the last place you should have come, Klaus-"

"I know that," he said. Caroline could see the fear in his eyes. "But I couldn't go, not without seeing you one last time. Not without _asking_ once more..."

"Asking what?" Her heart thundered in her chest.

"Come away with me."

Caroline stared into his eyes. They were full of desperation, pleading with her to hear him this time, to be brave. Her lip quivered, fear tearing through her gut, tears welling up in her eyes. She knew what it meant - she would have to leave her life here and everyone she loved behind for God knew how long. She would have to put her trust in the one man that she had mistrusted the most for so long. She would be on the run- always in danger, never knowing when or if she'd ever feel safe again.

And yet it was like she had known her answer forever. She nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes with the palm of her hand.

"Okay," she said slowly, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Where are we going?"

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A/N: Excited about this one! :) Can't wait to continue it. Let me know what you think, I thrive on constructive criticism! Thanks!


	3. Chapter 2

**All For Believing**

By Lanie

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries, Klaus, or Caroline.

A/N: Rated M for _future_ sexual content. Thank-you to everyone who reviewed so far! I have much planned for this one! Feedback is greatly appreciated of course! :)

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Caroline whirred around her room, grabbing random pieces of clothing and throwing them into the small suitcase on her bed. Her head spun in panic as she tried to think of everything she needed despite the fact that she didn't even know where they were going yet.

_"Away. Somewhere far away." _

That was the only response she had gotten when she had inquired about their destination for the second time as they entered the Forbes residence. She realized in that moment that he didn't actually have a plan, and that scared her almost as much as the situation itself. She had asked for 5 minutes to pack and had proceeded to run upstairs to her bedroom, confused and terrified and yet somehow also strangely exhilarated. Klaus, to her chagrin, always seemed to have that effect on her.

She had left him was waiting downstairs in her living room, holding his sleeping daughter tightly in his arms. She could hear him pacing nervously from her bedroom, and she knew he was eager to get out of Mystic Falls as soon as possible. Part of her was angry at Klaus for coming back at all, expecting her to just pick up and leave her life behind like she didn't have anything to stay for. And yet the other part of her was somehow proud that he had come to her when he was afraid - that he had chosen her over anyone else.

She grabbed a piece of paper to write a note to her mother. She wouldn't understand if she tried to tell her over the phone - she'd try to talk her out of it, and Caroline wasn't ready for that. Quickly, she scribbled.

_Mom, _

_I had to go away for a while. There are some things I have to do. I'm safe, I promise. I will get in touch as soon as possible. I love you so much. _

_xoxo, Caroline_

Caroline pinned the note to her wall and sighed at the mass of scarves and sundresses and boots piled high on top of her suitcase. The panic began to grow inside of her. What was she _doing?_

"You'd look stunning in a paper bag," Klaus stood in the doorway smirking at her, but his eyes were dark with fear. "We'll get you a wardrobe fit for a queen soon. But now we have to leave."

"Right," Caroline pushed some of the clothing off the top and zippered the suitcase hastily. Her stomach twisted. She could still say no, tell him that she had made a mistake and change her mind. She knew he'd leave without a fight. But the thought of him walking out the door without her, not knowing if she'd ever see him again - she couldn't let him go. She grabbed the suitcase and her purse and stood in front of him and the sleeping baby.

"I'm ready."

"I am aware that there are no seats left on the flight, but this is an emergency."

Klaus' eyes darted from the flight attendant to Caroline, sitting across the room with his baby in her arms. As much as she tried to hide it, he could tell that she was afraid, and he wanted nothing more than to take that look away from her. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. He was supposed to whisk her away someday, just the two of them, and lay the world at her feet. He had never wanted to put her in danger again, not now that life in Mystic Falls had finally settled down and she was supposed to be safe.

"I'm sorry, sir, there's nothing I can do."

Klaus's fists clenched in frustration. He growled. He had been doing his best not to use compulsion until they were out of the country, fearful of attracting unwanted attention from the people he was sure were already after them.

He looked over at Caroline again, and at the sleeping bundle in her arms, wrapped in the newly purchased baby blanket Caroline had insisted on getting from one of the airport shops.

_Marcel._

The name itself made him shake with anger. Klaus knew that he probably already had half of the population of New Orleans on his trail and it infuriated him. Miracle baby or not, no one was going to take his daughter away from him.

He hadn't asked for any of this. He was an Original vampire, and as the immortal he was, he could do almost anything he wanted. Fatherhood, however, had never been on the menu, and that fact had never bothered him at all. Children were weak, and Klaus could not afford weakness in his life. But as soon as Hayley's pregnancy had been revealed, he had become disorientingly attached to the bump growing in the werewolf girl's stomach.

He had stayed with Hayley for most of the time throughout her pregnancy, driving both of them crazy, and yet he had never wanted her to die. There was no shred of intimacy left between them but they had still somehow bonded over the baby growing inside of her. They had shared a strong and clear understanding that they would both do whatever it took to protect their child. When Hayley had called Klaus the night of the birth, she had only to say a couple of words into the phone before he had dropped everything and ran to her.

"_Klaus, something's wrong."_

He hadn't wanted Hayley to die, and he never wanted the child to have to grow up without a mother's love. But Hayley was gone now and he was all the little life had in the world.

No one was going to take her from him.

"Yes, there is," He locked eyes with the woman behind the desk. "We are already on this flight. Fix it."

The woman blinked airily. "Of course, sir." She clicked a few buttons on the computer and printed off two tickets, handing them over with a bright smile on her face. "Have a great flight."

Klaus turned away from the desk and walked over to Caroline. She looked up at him suspiciously.

"You compelled her, didn't you?" she hissed, holding the baby close. "I thought you said no more compelling until we get out of here?"

Klaus smirked weakly at her narrowed eyes. He had only had time to give her a brief overview of the situation on the way to the airport, and he could tell it hadn't satisfied her.

"I got our tickets, that's all that matters for now," he said. The baby gurgled in her arms, and her face softened.

"Well, can you at least tell me where we're going?" she whispered, and made a grab for the papers in his hands. He let her take them, watching her face as she read the destination.

"Florence... we're going to _Italy_?" Her eyes lit up as she read. Klaus smiled at the look on her face.

"The city of art," he drawled.

She beamed as Klaus took the baby back into his arms.

"I thought you might take me to Paris or something. You know, romance and all that crap," she joked, picking up her luggage. Klaus chuckled.

"All in good time, love."

Klaus stared out the window into the open sky. He had spent the first couple hours of their flight explaining the situation to Caroline in the most detailed way he could. He explained his history with Marcel and their rivalry together, how the vampires (specifically Marcel's circle) ruled New Orleans and how the witches were trapped under his rein. She had listened intently, brown eyes wide with disbelief. When he had finished, there were a couple of moments of silence before she had looked down at her hands and then back up at him intently, asking the one question that had not even occurred to him until then.

_"Why haven't you named her yet?"_

He had stared out the window for some time, thinking.

_"I'm not quite sure. Hayley changed her opinion on names daily." _

_"You two must have spent quite a lot of time together while you were gone." _

It had seemed almost silly, to hear the words from her mouth as if it bothered her now, after everything. She had peered up at him through curious, guarded eyes. Of course, Caroline hadn't experienced the last few months in New Orleans for herself.

_"When did you and Hayley...hook up or whatever."_

He had looked away, unable to meet her gaze. It was absolutely ridiculous to think of feeling guilty about something that had happened so long ago when she was barely speaking to him. And yet somehow, he did.

"_Klaus?_"

_"It was a long time ago, Caroline."_

They had barely spoken since, except to feed and change the baby with some help from a woman at the back of the plane.

The seatbelt sign blinked on as they prepared for their decent into Italy, and he looked over at her. She was sleeping peacefully, her blonde head leaning on his shoulder for support. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, but he had no idea what he was doing. He had never felt this way about someone before in his life, he _trusted_ her, he wanted to protect her from the world and show it to her all at once.

He was in love with her.

The baby began to squirm in his arms as the plane shifted and Caroline woke with a start. She reached up and ran her fingers through her hair.

"And the sleeping beauties awaken," he drawled.

Caroline shot him a look, but underneath the narrow of her drowsy eyes he swore he could see a smile.

"Welcome to Italy, Caroline Forbes."


End file.
